Rainy Day Knitting

Hey there friends! 

Raining and flooding here today. It makes for a cozy day of knitting and reading.  I am reading “You are the Girl for the Job” by Jess Connolly and what a inspiring book to remind you that where God has placed me to use my skills and talents for His glory🙌🏻

 I am in a place in my life that I will not be ashamed about sharing my faith or pointing you guys toward Jesus. That’s my mission for this business and my hope in person if you know me😉 Bless you friends! Have a great weekend! I will be right here. 

Do you love this teal tweed color as much a I do? 

 There is one design in the SHOP with this color already but I can’t wait to see what words you would put on this too.

Tracy 

How I read my Bible in a Year

Handmade Knits by Tracy

Hello there friends!

Last year I decided to read my Bible in a whole year. Yes one year. You see I had decided to do this many times in the past. I just had not gotten very far when I got behind a day or so. Then months went by and my daily reading the Bible was a thing of the past.  I would just resolve to try again next year.  I easily gave up but I realize now that I was giving up on God. I was giving up on something like spending time in the Word for the World even if I was "behind" according to these expectations I had set up for myself.

God doesn't care about a reading plan! This is a lesson I learned this year while doing this discipline which by the way is what it is. The spiritual discipline of reading our Bible daily.  We have to learn to do things in our Christian faith that doesn't come naturally like reading the Bible.  How else will we know what it says.  For some of us reading is not our favorite thing to do.  I actually enjoy reading when I actually stop doing other things and sit down and read.

So for me to dedicate time to read this year this is what it looked like :

1.  Set a time to read/spend time with God, set an alarm if you need to.  I would write this down in my planner so I would schedule the time and not forget.

2.  Gather your supplies for your reading time such as Bible, journal, planner, notebook and pens and place them where you can easily have them together.

3.  Prayer time before and after reading my Bible. This is so important and should come naturally while reading your Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the time spent in the Word because to be honest we wont understand everything or always know what is going on sometimes while reading. This is the beauty of the Bible. We can live a lifetime and never know everything in the Bible.


The last lesson is that you dont have to read the entire Bible in a year.  I do think we should at some point do it but do it at your own pace.  I also study slowly other books of the Bible if you follow along, you know that we have studied this past year 3 books of the Bible in   KNIT THE GOSPEL INTO YOUR HEART GROUP
Reading through the Bible this year has grown my intimacy with God so much this year.  The more you are with Gods Word the more of a desire He places in you to share Him with others.  I had not had that desire before and this year God has shown me He equips us for the work of ministry even when we doubt and have insecurities.

I will be doing this another year. In 2019 I will be reading through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in the THE DAILY WALK  You can find all kinds of reading plans but I like using a Bible with dates and a guide for me to read as I go.  Last year I read through the Everyday with Jesus Bible
It was a really great one to read through because it read some from the OT, NT, Psalms and Proverbs everyday.

Here is my challenge to YOU!

Just start!

Just begin with me and so many others January 1st reading your Bible. It will change your life.   I wont tell you it will be easy to start something new if you have never done it before but I will tell you that God will show up in your life if you show for Him.

Let me know if you will be joining me again this year and we can encourage each other! I really enjoyed all the encouragement I received this year and I believe you will too once you join the community.  Share pics on social with the tag #bibleinayear so we can cheer each other on in 2019!

Blessings
tracy

Is it Fall yet?

Hello there friends!

Yes it still feels like Summer here in Tennessee but man am I dreaming of the cooler temps coming.  Fall and Winter are pretty mild here in Tennessee and I kinda get jealous of the states where you can wear all the snuggly scarves and knit sweaters.  I only get a few weeks in here in the Winter that I am able to wear them because the temps are just too mild.

That doesn't usually stop me from grabbing my hand knits as soon as the temps drop. haha!

My favorite accessory for Fall is my knit cowls so I thought for a limited time I would add some pre orders to the SHOP .  Pre Orders will end after 9/31


I am also offering my first knitting pattern in the SHOP for those of you who want to make your own infinity scarf!
It is a great beginner knitting pattern.

Let me know if you knit one up. Share your pictures me on Instagram or Facebook


Here is a few pictures of the scarf colors available for pre order!

Soft Gray

Winter White 

Talk to you guys soon!
tracy

Eat God's Word Everyday

Are you eating with Lord?

Hello Friends!


Are you hungry?   I mean hungry for something that lasts forever and can never be taken away. The love, joy, peace  and forgiveness that can only found in Jesus Christ. We all have sinful desires and each of us can easily seek the things of this world to fill us up, to give us temporary satisfaction but it will disappoint or even send us down a path of destruction.  This hunger can only be filled with Jesus.  We were created to want something more.  We were meant to be His image bearers. This is why we as Christ followers need the Word of God to drink and eat of His Word.  How can we reflect Him if we aren't looking in the mirror of the Bible. 

So our provider of everything is waiting to feed His children not only physically but spiritually.   
God has equipped us with His Word so that our "eyes would be opened to recognize Him" daily.  I am praying that we would not be "slow of heart to believe" but keep His Word close so our "eyes will be opened". 

I am reading through the bible in a year. I don't know if you are taking this challenge this year or not but just this one act of obedience has changed my life. You see I use to never be confident about what God's Word said because I didn't know what it said. I was not reading it to really dig in and learn. Sometimes I read the Bible out of obligation or because I needed something and on Sundays it would be like a crash course from sermon notes.  Then I realized if I wanted more confidence in Christ and have true growth in my walk with Christ I needed to learn what God's Word said for my self. So I started reading and writing scripture daily. The writing really helped my mind see the words and then reading them helped me memorize them. I have even written scripture on my hands to give myself truth to focus on during my day.  Try it for yourself and see God change your day and open the eyes of  your heart throughout your day to see His abundance and recognize His work all around us. 

I want to challenge you to read scripture everyday too.  I think we can all relate to being lead by emotions and our own strength. It is through God's Word that we can distinguish  between lies of this world and truth. This is were we will grow roots so we can stand firm in our walk with the Lord and truly be Spirit lead through our days. 

I am rooting for you this year to get started reading through God's Word for the first time or continue on in the faith my friend. 
I shared more here on this  Facebook Live Video  about being lead by the Spirit if your interested.  I hope to keep encouraging  you guys so go ahead and leave me a comment whether you are joining me or if there is something you would like to hear more discussion on.  Walking this Christian life isnt easy and we must rely on Christ to do it. 


"But you beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit." Jude 20



Grace to you! 

trAcy 




  

Walk in Christ Confidence

hAndmAde Knits by trAcy Shop

Hello friends!


I did a whole series on FB Live about Christ confidence. If you would like to go check them out here is the LINK to WATCH

This subject Christ confidence is one I feel like a lot of women need encouragement with, especially since the world gives us messages like how we look on the outside is the only way to have confidence, how we dress is the only way to have confidence, and how much money we have is the way to confidence.
Walking confidently in Christ is so different. The confidence we can walk in only comes from Jesus Christ. Let me tell you my story of confidence.

My perspective is from a christian perspective. I believe Jesus Christ is my Savior who then supplies me with every possible need and all the confidence needed to walk in this world. Now that said, we don't always receive the confidence or believe who we are in Christ. Why? Because we listen to the voices in our lives who contradict His Word or ignore God and listen to the world's voice. Which is louder in your life right now?

I have been there! Growing up I was called names like "Olive Oil" (if you dont remember the cartoon Popeye) and something like a silly name will stick with you until adulthood. So you can imagine my confidence was a little low during the high school years. I worked hard to overcome my shy, introverted self by putting myself out there, like being in the high school pageant my Junior year of high school. It was something that scared me to death but I seemed to always want the very things that scare me the most. I was shy even though to the outside world thought I was not. I was a cheerleader and a band member all of which I worked so hard to be apart of because I was not the best. So you can imagine I was scared to death to walk across a stage without feeling like I needed to throw up and my heart beating out of my chest. Why did I want to do this?
I researched entering a pageant and bought the perfect dress. I asked my friends who had competed and got all the advise needed to practice, practice and practice.
I ended up winning the high school pageant. I was confident but I was a beleiver not walking in the right confidence of God's Word and Truth.

Fast forward to me a married woman, I was in unknown territory with marriage and small children. My husband after a few years of marriage surrendered to God's call to full time ministry. We were active in our church but when he told me I was in shock. This isn't who I married, a pastor.  I was shy, remember? I didn't want to talk to people about God's love much less be seen at this point in my life. I had small children and I was just trying to survive as a working mom outside of the home and figure this whole raising kids thing out. Now I had to do it in a glass house with people watching me because of a title I didn't even ask for, pastor's wife.
So God was working and calling us both but I rebelled as you probably can imagine.  You can read my  POST HERE    if you are interested in my rebellious heart.

Confidence came when my relationship with Jesus Christ was nurtured and I was believing who He says I am. I stopped listening to the voices of this world. Friend, we must let God's voice be louder than this world. Walking in Christ confidence will come when our hearts are tethered to Jesus Christ. He looks at our heart not the outward appearance.
1 Samuel 16:7
..... For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."

Now after my third child I entered the Mrs.Tennessee America pageant. It was a way to get back into shape after having a baby and something I thought I could use as a platform to speak about my faith and marriage.  I won. The first ever entry and I won. The thing is I still had no confidence to speak about my faith because I was still not intimate enough with Jesus and walking confidently in Him. Like winning a contest will give you the ability to speak confidently about anything. I could speak but it was with doubt and fear not with boldness of the Spirit. I was still rebellious and not listening to His voice. I was selfish and going through the motions of being a Christ Follower on the outside but on the inside I was lost in sin.

It took a long time for me to turn myself around. To realize that God isn't taking me out of ministry because it was uncomfortable so I need to get on board with Him. You see God never stopped pursuing me all those years. It wasn't until my teen son was out of our control and we as parents couldn't do anything but hit the floor in prayer to call out to our God for His mighty work in our lives and our sons life. God had stripped me of any control I thought I had. It was then that my heart was drawn back to my loving Father and began seeking Him fervently. I was so hungry for God's Word and was ashamed that I had been so selfish trying to be confident in my marriage and family without allowing Him to lead me.

The scriptures tell us we are loved with unconditional love, never ending. He is gracious, merciful and slow to anger. I am thankful for because there isn't anywhere else we should be seeking love besides our spouse. I learned that God calls us His beloved, chosen and redeemed daughter of the King. We already have a crown from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as His child we have a crown on our heads to walk confidently in Christ.  Jesus Christ equips us for kingdom work for His glory and gives us boldness. This is walking in Christ Confidence. I have received a boldness and strength because I surrendered my life and stopped walking in bondage to the outside worlds views of me.



I pray this helps you seek His face and receive the boldness, strength and power to share the gospel with those around you too. Amen

Walk in Christ Confidence my friends!

trAcy

Walk by Faith Cuff Bracelet

Jesus Girl Running

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance, and in your book
were written the days that were ordained for me,
when as yet there was not one of them.
Psalm 139:16

Bracelet Shop

Hello friends!

These past few weeks I have been reading and studying the book of Jonah. It is 4 chapters packed with so many nuggets of truth about God's character and how we are still pursued and drawn back to God for His purpose. Here is just a little of what God is teaching me.

We can plan our lives out and think we are in control of everything until life throws us the unexpected or God asks us to do something we are not comfortable with doing or going.  Priscilla Shirer calls it 'life interruptions'.  Whatever you want to call it, they can throw you for a tail spin if you can't see what the future holds. That unknown is scary and uncomfortable.  See, I like to be comfortable and in control all the things in my life.  When I can't control everything, where do I turn? Our rebellious hearts can lead us away from the presence of God where we no longer hear His voice to convict us of disobedience. Like Jonah we can go a long distance on our own and that sin can take us farther than we thought, longer than we expected, and cost more energy than desired.  All because we are running from God.  Jonah heard what God told him but ran away.
Don't we realize God already knows where we are and we are breaking His heart by disobeying Him. I am thankful for His faithfulness to still pursue us even while we are running away.  As His children we are asking for discipline, right?  Jonah was swallowed up by the fish and stayed there 3 days and 3 nights. We can fall so hard into the pit we put ourselves inside of and stay there for a spell until we realize what we have done and cry out to our God who saves.  I tell you this because I have been the one running before.  You can be a church going, Jesus girl and still be a Jonah, running from God.  You see going through the motions of being a believer such as church going, fellowship dinners, and working in the church is all good but it's the intimate relationship Our Savior seeks from us.  Our hearts are disobeying God if it isn't bent toward Him. This can be emotionally running away where no one else sees or outwardly running away. Are you running girl? 
We can either surrender everything to the One who can save us or hold on with a tight grip and be in constant worry, turmoil and pain.  Jesus wants you to lean into Him with the heavy and hard stuff.

As a believer, His Spirit lives inside you! His Words are life!
There with Jesus is where intimacy, true peace and rest will come. The hope in His arms is where hope for your weary soul is found.  It is not just in life's interruptions that Christ wants our yielded submission but everyday with open hearts and and hands to go where He leads and share the story He is writing for you and me for His glory!

Let God be the main character of our life!

Our story is our testimony to the world of His unconditional, gracious love and mercy.


"Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it. " Luke 11:28

P.S.
Here is a short Facbook Video  (if you want to hear more about this )



Grace to you my friend-
trAcy

God Goals for Every Woman

Reading through the bible this year with you!

Hello friends!

A new year has begun and new goals are written down. Do you write down your goals or maybe you call them big dreams?  All I know, is that I use to be horrible at doing it. I mean actually writing down anything.  I have heard if you don't write down your goals they are just dreams.  That made sense to me because when I have ever wanted something in life I actually set a goal or plan to get it done.  It isn't always easy.  It can scare you and excite you.  This year I have realized somewhere along the years of parenting, I lost what I wanted to be as a woman. You know besides a good mom to the kids and wife to my husband. Those are good things but hey the kids grow up and  leave the nest. My husband and I have made a great team over the last 23 years and He is the dreamer who always encourages me.  I usually am the one who shrinks back in fear instead of dreaming big and going for it! Remembering where my identity lies has brought me back to the character of God these last few weeks and who He says I am.  That is important because when all else fades in this life what have I done with it. Have I become who God says I am?

So this year I wrote the goals down and for the last two years as   handmade knits by trAcy has grown I was able to cut back on the hours of outside work and work from home on this business God has built for our family.  I dreamed a long time ago about a business but never wrote it down or worked with God on it until about two years ago.  He gave me the vision and dream of owning my own business and I jumped in and did it.  I didn't know it would touch so many women's lives but it has. You guys send me emails about the seeds planted by wearing your bracelets.  God's Word tethered to your hearts all day which is exactly what I envisioned. That is exactly why I create my hand stamped and knit bracelets. He has shown His strength and faithfulness through my fear and what I saw as weaknesses.  I didn't know I could speak on FB Live Videos and share about Jesus and the gospel. I learned to let God's voice be bigger than the voice of the enemy.  God is truth and Satan is a liar.

He uses me and my knitting to pour out His love. How much more can He use you friend! What talent or tools has He given you to use?  I have learned we need only to look in our hands and see that He provides the rest. You just do the work of serving the kingdom.
Jesus gives us His Word to change us from the inside out and I want to share that and be an out pouring of His grace, mercy and love to other women.

What are your goals this year? What dream do you have for a better woman this year? Are you waiting for perfection because Jesus says come as you are. It is Jesus who does a good work in and through us. Remember that!

Okay, this is probably longer than I thought I would chat about this subject. Please share your thoughts and lets cheer each other on this year!

You can always find me over on the socials too!
Facebook and Instagram

Bless you friend!

trAcy

Dream Big Bracelet in the Shop! 

New Things Coming

Hello Friends!

It has been too long since I have posted what's new around here.  I thought I would let you all know what's been happening.  First, I have been working on new photos with photographers and a New Website in addition to my Etsy Shop.

There is always more to improve on the site and it seems to be a work in progress.  I am new to all the techy stuff but I figured it out!  I am still trying to improve in business and creating encouraging accessories for you is still my passion.

Fall is upon us and everyone seems to love the new Fall colors I have in the shop.
Here is look at just a few favorites.

Faith over Fear cuff shown in "Green Leaf Hut " 

Keep in  mind all my cuff colors are limited so when they sell out I can not get them again (most of the time)

If you follow me on Facebook you can find more encouragement and video updates of what I am reading. Right now I am reading the book Fervent  by Priscilla Shirer.  I shared my initial thoughts on it there if you want to see and tell your thoughts on the book if you have already read it.
Are you praying strategically in your life too?  Or have any tips for a fellow praying mom:)

I hope you guys have a great Labor Day holiday weekend! I will be celebrating my birthday so I am sharing a 15% off coupon with my followers so if you are reading this you get to use it! The code is MYBIGDAY use this at checkout in either shop. Offer is only good until 9/4 midnight CST.

Bless you friends!
Psalm 115:1

Knitter & Maker 
Tracy